The Space in Between
by RikaChieko
Summary: Ludwig is willing to sacrifice everything for Gilbert's sake.  He tries to protect him, but what happens when Russia makes it impossible? What happens when Ludwig's heart starts to swell in an unfamiliar and all to pleasant way for Gilbert?
1. Chapter 1

Hey there! Rika-chan's back! And with a new couple! This is my current favorite, and it holds a special place in my heart. Its PrussiaxGermany!

I'm gonna tell you guys about my up and coming fics (cause I be a busy bee), and then the warnings and disclaimer. Okay, so, I'm still trying to finish Charleston Chew, I've started a new USUK that will be a chapter fic (EditorJew is excited for this one), 2 new USUK's PWPs (Editor Jew bribed me), and I'm editing Where's My Hero. And there's more PrussiaGermany to come, and it'll prolly be PWP! So, yeah. I think that's it!

Now, warnings and disclaimer. There will be rape in chapter 2. There is suggested rape in this chapter. There is **extreme Prussia awesomeness in this fic. Some levels of awesomeness may be too high for your brains and they may explode. **I am not responsible for any damage. After the first few chapter's it'll get sweeter, I swear! But it's M for a reason. It's Yaoi (boyxboy). It's awesome!

Ummm… I own nothing. Nothing at all. Not Hetalia, nor the characters. Cause if I owned either there'd be butt sex everywhere! ALL THE TIME. But yeah. Read, review, fav, and enjoy! Thankies!

"What…?" Ludwig gulped, staring up at the barbed wire fence that most certainly had not been there the day before when he had gone for his daily visit to his older brother. His mind raced, his heart pounded painfully in his chest, his palms started to sweat. This wasn't happening. Ivan had told him just two months earlier that he needn't worry, the rumors buzzing around East and West Germany that a wall would be built, separating the two halves of his self that had once been whole, were all false.

Yet, here it was. Towering far above his head was a barrier that kept him away from beloved brother.

"What is this!" He screamed out, though there was no one around to hear him. Ludwig decided that that was his problem. He'd just have to go and make himself heard to who ever needed to hear him in order to this monstrous thing torn to the ground.

Ludwig began run, as fast as he could, down the perimeter of the wall, knowing that there had to be a gap in it somewhere.

After about an hour of running, Ludwig finally came to the first check point. It was only a simple hole in the fence, guarded by only officers. As Ludwig slowed, he began to calculate his odds of being able to beat them all into pulp before they could call for back up, in the case they wouldn't let into communist territory. And he was fairly sure the odds were in his favor, seeing as had been trained as a war trained killing machine for many, many years now.

"Hallo." Ludwig greeted the guards as calmly as he could manage, hoping they'd let him through if he pretended he belonged there.

"You can't go through, Sir." One of the guards stuck his hand out, blocking Ludwig's way through. Ludwig eyed the soldier who had dared to stop him. It had been one of the younger the four, probably only 20 or so. It was sad that Ludwig would most likely have to kill him.

"Und why not?" Ludwig asked, maintaining his calm tone of voice as he scanned the other three soldiers standing on guard. He recognized of them from the war, the one that had separated him from his beloved brother.

"We have orders to keep out everyone who is not one of the Allies or their bosses." The young guard answered. Ludwig couldn't help but notice that the two he had worked closely for last few years refused to make eye contact with him.

"Is that so? Well, I guess I'll just greet my friends over there and take my leave." Ludwig surrendered, giving him a fake, lop-sided smile. "Hallo, Armin! Hallo Riener! Good morning!" He called out to his former sub-ordinates. They reluctantly looked up at him, forcing smiles to their face as they said their hello's to him.

"I've not seen either of you two in a while. It has been good to see your faces again." Ludwig nodded at the two before turning around and meandered down the path. They did not know that he could hear the all too familiar sound of an American Jeep, blasting Alfred's favorite country music from its speakers. He knew the Allied Powers were coming, and if he could just get them to let him go with them across the border, he wouldn't have to kill anyone today.

Alfred's camouflage jeep was squealing to a stop beside him just minutes later. In the open carriage Ludwig could see that Arthur and Francis were also with Alfred. "Hey! Dude! Ludwig! What are you doing all the way out here!" Alfred called out to him, waving in a most childish manner.

"I was going to see East, but there has been a snag in my plans, I'm afraid." Ludwig answered, leaning against the cool metal car door.

"We heard, and dude that was so not hero-tastic of them. We're going to set their asses strait right now!" Alfred held out a clenched a fist.

"We are going to talk to them, see if we can fix this, you git. Ludwig, we can't promise anything…" Arthur interjected.

"May I come with you? I would like to see East. Make sure that that sadistic bastard isn't doing anything to him." Ludwig asked, looking pleadingly between the three. It was true that Ivan had a habit of torturing his prisoners and captive nations in a variety of ways, and everyone knew it. But as long as he came around every day, Ivan would keep his hands off of his brother, who, no matter how awesome he might have been, had no hope of warding off the huge Russian. But Ludwig was another story entirely.

The three nations exchanged looks, and after a brief silence, told Ludwig to get in. He must have thanked them at least a hundred times before they reached the check point again. He smiled down at the young guard as they pulled up beside him. Not a kind smile, more of a twisted one. As if he were daring the soldier to try and stop him now and forewarning him of the consequences, should he chose to take him up.

A brief inspection of the documents Alfred had given to the elder of the two guards whom he did not know was all it took for them to be in East Germany. As he drove through, he could see his former sub-ordinates smiling genuinely up at him, almost as if they had known that somehow, someway, he would get in.

Ludwig smiled sincerely back at them and gave them an acknowledging nod, to which they nodded back. It comforted Ludwig to know that there were still people who could see the good inside of him.

"Did you know those men, Ludwig?" Francis asked, poking him gently in the forearm.

"I do. They were both ranked just below me in the military. They were some of the men I fought beside. They are great men and even greater soldiers." Ludwig answered proudly. He immediately regretted doing so as the tension in the car mounted. They tried not to think about how Ludwig his men were the ones who had killed men from each of their own lands.

"I am sorry." Ludwig apologized, "That was a foolish thing to say, but they are good men and fiercely loyal to the Fatherland, no matter how misguided we may have been. I'm sorry that I had to meet them the way that I did."

"It's fine Ludwig. We all suffered greatly, including yourself and Gilbert. I'm sure Hitler was not a pleasant man to be working for." Arthur pardoned. He was the most understanding of the group, while Francis the easiest to talk to. Alfred was the one he could depend on the most in time of crisis.

He could not be more grateful to those three men, who had saved him from power an insane man had over him, and the insanity he had gone through himself after seeing and doing so many horrible things. He had done horrible things to each of their people, and yet they would forgive him, to some extent, at least enough to take him to protect his older brother.

"Dude, what you did was not okay! Don't tell him that it was Arthur!" Alfred snapped, his grip tightening on the wheel till his knuckles turned a paper white.

"I know." Ludwig answered, trying to defuse the situation. "I do not like what I did. But I assure you, I was not in my right mind at the time. You wouldn't have been if you had been forced to do the things I was."

"He is right, Alfred." Francis spoke up. "Ludwig has always repented for his sins and he surely beat himself up over it."

"Whatever. Let's just go get this stupid fence thing torn down! Ivan needs to learn that communism gets him no where!" Alfred exclaimed.

"… That's why you want that wall down?" Ludwig asked slowly, cautiously. He was just a few choice words away from snapping.

"Yeah," Alfred answered, as Ludwig had just asked him the stupidest question in the world. "Why else would we want this wall torn down!"

"For the people who can't see their families, or lovers, or friends, or go to work anymore!" Ludwig yelled. He could feel the anger boiling in the pit of his stomach. They had invaded his territory, allowed his home to be split in two, taken control from him, and now they didn't even care about the people. "For mien people who are suffering right now, because, as it stands, their lives have been torn apart!" His accent grew thicker with each word that fell off his tongue.

"Ludwig, please, calm down." Arthur urged, "We are not in West Germany, we cannot protect you from trouble here."

"I don't care! My people are suffering, my home has been torn apart, and now I can't even protect my brother! Whatever they do to me would be nothing compared to that." Ludwig proclaimed.

"Listen, we will do what we can to help your people. But you need to calm down now. I needn't to remind you of your place now, do I?"

"I am fine with being under your control, but do not let my people fall to the way side, or I will get involved." Ludwig said seriously, slowly regaining his calm.

"That is why we're here, Ludwig. Not just to deal a blow to communism." Arthur said. "But we are almost at Ivan's office. I implore you not to do anything stupid."

"Yeah. He implores you, Lud-y!" Alfred mocked.

"That goes for you too, you wanker!" Arthur yelled. "The only way we can come out on top of this situation is if we all act smart!"

"Alright!" Alfred whined as he put the car in park in front of the fancy high rise building in the middle of East Germany. It stood out against the rest of the world that surrounded it, that seemed to slowly drag its gloomy feet. It felt like a punch in the stomach to see how much of a mess Ivan had made Ludwig's homeland. He tried to force away the fire-y anger that began to course through his veins, threatening to make him snap again. Francis must have been able to feel the heat pouring off of Ludwig, and grabbed his hand, giving it a quick squeeze, as if to tell him everything would be okay. That someday, they would reverse the damage done to the Fatherland.

The quartet headed into the grand lobby of Ivan's office building, where they were greeted by Ukraine, who was waiting patiently for them just inside the door. They were quickly whisked into the elevator. It was a tight squeeze in the little room, which was made even tighter by the enormous amount of space Ukraine's breast took up. Which not one of the four men wanted to dare touch, by accident or not. If they did and Ivan caught wind of it, they would all pay for it dearly.

It was a fact that irritated Ludwig to no end. They were in Ivan's territory, where they had to walk on eggshells around his family, yet the big Russian still had his brother. And now that he was not allowed across the border that separated himself and East, Ivan was free to do anything he liked to him. He tightened his grip on Francis' hand, trying to will away the thoughts of what could happen to his older brother. No matter how hard he clamped down on Francis' hand, he never once tried to pry free from him, or told him to lighten up on him.

"Russia will be waiting for you at the end of the hall to answer any questions you may have for him today." Ukraine informed them politely, gesturing to the room she had mentioned returning to the elevator, abandoning them to face Ivan on their own.

For a long moment, no one moved. Not one of them spoke a single word and all they would hear in the long corridor was the shallow sound of their own breathing and the annoying ticking of the clock that hung alone on the wall.

Finally, Ludwig could take it no longer. He had to see Gilbert, see that he was okay and Ivan hadn't defiled him in anyway. He let go of Francis' hand and walked swiftly down the hallway. He stretched his legs as far as they could, reaching the door Ukraine had shown them in less than 30 seconds. He wasted no time on being nervous, and walked immediately into Ivan's office, not even bothering to knock.

Ivan sat a large desk, smiling at him in the most sickeningly sweet way. Ludwig looked around the spacious office, looking for his brother. "Where is my bruder Ivan?" Ludwig demanded.

Seconds after the words left his mouth, the other three nations who had accompanied him were in the room behind him. Francis tried to grab Ludwig's hand again, hoping it would have the same calming effect as it had just a little earlier. But, it was to no avail. Ludwig shook away his hand, never even bothering to break eye contact with Ivan.

"Ludwig! What a pleasant surprise! I thought I told the guards to shoot you down if you tried to come in!" Small glimmers of hate shone in the frighteningly reflective violate eyes. "But I guess, because you were with them…" Ivan thought to himself.

"Yes, I came with them! Now, where. Is. My. Brother?" Ludwig punctuated every word, his voice rivaling Ivan's in the sheer amount of terror it inflicted. Everyone in the Allied Powers had heard Ludwig use it at least one before, and it had always meant that men would fall.

"You wish to see Gilbert?" Ivan asked sweetly. "Fine." Ivan pressed a button on his phone, and began to speak into it.

"Natalia, please send in Gilbert."

"Yes brother." The cold, emotionless voice answered, filling the silence Gilbert's worrying lack of presence for only a moment.

A minute or so passed and no one moved, no one made a sound. Alfred, Arthur and Francis could almost see the sparks flying between Ludwig and Ivan as Ludwig glared with as much intensity has he possibly could (A scary sight, indeed) and Ivan smiled back at him. It was almost as if he gained so kind of sick, twisted pleasure from the reaction he drew from Ludwig.

The intense tension between the two was broken when a door to Ivan's right opened, and Gilbert took a small step into the office. Ludwig's face fell as he watched his older brother limp in, his head turned down to the floor. Even with what little he could see of his brother's face, it was obvious that he had been thoroughly abused. Large, dark bruises bloomed on his cheek and neck, his eye was swollen half shut, and there were shallow, little gashed all down his face.

Ludwig felt three hands clamp down on him, one on each of his shoulders and one on his hand. Each hand kept a firm grip on him as he watched his brother in silence, ready to hold him back if need be.

"You called for me, Mr. Ivan?" Gilbert asked, not daring to look up at the man who had abused him so.

"Da." Ivan answered shortly. His eyes darting back to Ludwig for a split second, his smile getting wider at the look on Ludwig's face.

"East…" Ludwig called out softly, his voice shaking. Ludwig fought back tears that threatened to gather in his eyes. He had let this happen to his brother. He had let Ivan lie to him, and believed his stupid lie and let boarder be put up that kept him out, that kept him from protecting his brother.

Gilbert looked up into his brother's eyes, shame and surprise written all over his face. "Hallo, West. I didn't expect to see you today."

Ludwig tried to go to his broken, battered brother, wanting nothing more than to embrace him and apologize for letting him get hurt. But he barely made it a step before Ivan stopped him in his tracks. He was in front of Ludwig in an instant, blocking his way with his sturdy body.

"No, no, no~!" He said in a sing song voice, wagging his finger in the air. "If you make one move, Ludwig, your precious 'big bruder' will paid dearly for it!"

Ivan bounced childishly over to Gilbert, cutting him out from Ludwig's view, but he knew could tell what he was doing. He could hear the rustle of fabric being tugged at, the clink of the metal buttons that adorned the familiar uniform of the German uniform, hitting against each other. Soon the jacket, a beautiful cornflower blue, was tossed to the floor, along with the standard black wife beater that went under it. (I imagine they would have had chaffing issues without them, ja?)

Russia slowly made his way around Gilbert, exposing him to the rest of the crowd in his office. Ludwig could feel the hands on his shoulders tighten their grip, and with good reason.

Gilbert refused to look at his younger brother. He hated for Ludwig to see him so broken, so weak. The shame of it made face and neck burn a bright red.

Ludwig stood in shock; fire burning in his veins as he looked took in his brother's condition. Gilbert's stomach was almost entirely purple and black; his ribs looked like they had most likely been broken in a few places. His arms had deep gashes; rope burns decorated his entire upper half. Above his hips were tell tale bruises, the size and shape of fingers.

_Ivan raped East… _

Ludwig slowly came to realize. His eyes got wide as they fixated on Gilberts assailant. He could almost feel his mind reverting to his holocaust days, where he was trained to murder and torture in the worst ways one could possibly imagine and love it. Where he could over power the strongest of all men.

Ludwig tried to lunge forward, to kill Ivan for what he'd done, but Alfred shut him down quick. He threw an arm around Ludwig's neck, applying just enough pressure to keep him in place, but not cut off his air supply.

"Calm down." Alfred whispered, his mouth uncomfortably close to Ludwig's ear. "Remember what Ivan said. You do anything, and he'll do much worse to Gilbert than what he's done."

"Not if I kill him." Ludwig whispered back, trying to pry Alfred's arm from his neck.

"Think, dipshit. You can't kill a country."

Ludwig knew it was true. Even if he were to drive Ivan's precious pipe, red hot, through his heart, he would not die. And eventually he'd heal, and use Gilbert to get revenge. He deflated against Alfred, knowing he had to stay still, for Gilbert. Alfred released Ludwig, knowing he'd do nothing that would result in his brother's suffering.

They all stood still, watching silently as Ivan began to nibble at the bruises on Gilbert's neck. He ran his finger down the German's center, pressing hard enough to leave the skin around it a pale white before fading back to purple.

Ivan grabbed Gilbert's chin violently. "Oh, dear. Don't be shy Gilbert. Show your brother and his friends how pretty I've made you!" He yanked his head to the side, showing a series of shallow cuts curving down his face, the longest of them starting at his hairline and ending till the tip of his chin. Ludwig could see Gilbert's chin flex, and prayed he wasn't in too much pain.

"Isn't your brother pretty, Ludwig?" Ivan smiled just a bit wider than normal.

Ludwig gritted his teeth, trying his hardest not to lash out Ivan, which only make his brother's situation worse.

"You better answer, Ludwig~!" Ivan teased. He moved one hand over Gilbert's ribs. "And answer well!"

"He looks… awesome." Ludwig trembled as he gave into Russia's commands. He heard Gilbert chuckle lightly at the use of his favorite word in his vocabulary. Ludwig felt just the slightest bit better because he'd made his brother smile, just a little bit.

"Very well," Ivan said, pushing Gilbert away from him. Gilbert was knocked off his feet, and slammed against the wall. Ludwig tried his hardest not to run to his brother, who groaned lowly as he lay crumpled against the wall. The only thing keeping him from Gilbert was his fear of what else Ivan would do to him if he dared to move. He had no concern for what Ivan might do for him, even though, because he was in Ivan's territory, he was fair game too.

"Ludwig, you can go and talk to your brother while I talk to my dear friends behind you." Ivan motioned as if he were shooing away a child to go play with his toys.

Ludwig ignored the way Ivan tried to degrade him and ran to Gilbert's side. He scooped his brother into his arms and held him tight.

"Guten tag, bruderline." Gilbert smiled up at his younger brother. The last thing he wanted was for Ludwig to think he, the uber awesome Prussia, couldn't take care of himself. But he could see from the look on Ludwig's face that he was on the verge of tears. And knowing him the way he did, Gilbert could already tell that his younger brother blamed himself.

"East, are you okay?" Ludwig asked, his voice trembling just a little bit. He struggled to keep himself calm and be strong for Gilbert.

"Ja!" Gilbert answered with a confident, lop-sided smile. "I'm to fucking awesome not to be!"

"Mien Gott, Gil, I swear, I won't let him do this to you again." Ludwig closed his eyes. He didn't have the strength to see how badly abused his brother was anymore and keep the tears at bay. He didn't have the strength his brother had, to pretend it didn't happen.

"Ludwig, listen to your big bruder. You take care of yourself, not me." Gilbert ordered softly and wrapped his arms around his younger brother. "I can take care of myself."

"But-! He… He…" Ludwig couldn't bring himself to say the word. He couldn't bring himself to say out loud that Ivan had raped his brother, thinking he would not have Ludwig to deal with. He knew that next time he tried to get through, every guard would know not to let him in under any circumstance. He would be a shoot on sight candidate.

"Trust me, West." Gilbert said flatly. "I know what that sick twisted bastard did to me." Gilbert lowered his voice so that Ludwig could barely hear him just inches away. He assumed it was to be sure Ivan didn't hear him. "I can still feel it. But I am just as war hardened, if not more, than you, which of course makes me more awesome, and it makes that seem like nothing."

"But it's my fault." Ludwig said the words Gilbert was trying to avoid, "I lost. I let them win and let Russia get you!"

"Russia wanted me 'cause I'm awe-!" Gilbert started, only to be interrupted by the sound of hands slamming against Ivan's desk. Ludwig whipped his head around to Alfred looking absolutely furious, even his face was flushed entirely red. Ludwig was, for one of the first time, actually scared of what he would do.

"You lying, mother fucker of a commie!" Alfred screamed. "You can't just cut people off from each other like this cause people don't want to stay in your communist shit-hole side of the country!"

"Well, I lied!" Ivan said happily, seemingly totally unfazed by Alfred's rage, which was legendary around the world. "The wall will remain and no one will go in or out of German Democratic Republic!"

Alfred looked like he was about to spit at hearing a word so close to democracy coming out of Ivan's mouth. "Democratic my ass!"

"Well, it seems we will reach no agreement today. Please leave, and take Ludwig with you. And for his good and your own, make sure he never comes back." Ivan said calmly, the eerie smile never leaving his face. "If my guards see his face, he will be shot in the head."

Ludwig calmly took his arms from around older brother and stood. He closed his eyes for a long moment before walking over to the group of Allies gathered around Ivan's desk. He looked at Ivan, strait in the eye. "Please let me come and see my brother." He requested, as formally as he could.

Ivan's smile got wider. "No. You will not see East Germany again."

"Please. Let me take his place. You can do whatever you want to me, just please do not hurt him anymore." Ludwig begged. He clenched his hands at the sides his sides, trying to grit his teeth through the humiliation.

"Ludwig, you cannot be bloody serious!" Arthur said from behind him. Ludwig ignored him. He would not let his mind be changed by someone who couldn't possibly understand.

"Ivan, please. I am begging you. I will replace my brother everyday as long you keep your hands off of him and I get to see him." Ludwig continued. He felt a familiar hand clamp down on his shoulder.

"Ludwig, Artie's right. You can't just offer yourself up to him, and, as the hero here, I can't let you do that!" Alfred said. When Ludwig didn't respond, Alfred turned him around himself. He made sure to look Ludwig dead in the eye. "Whatever you think you're making up for, whatever you want to be punished for, it was not bad enough to put yourself in Ivan's hands."

"Alfred, please. Imagine that Gilbert was Matthew. Would you not take his place so he didn't get hurt?" Ludwig begged Alfred to let him go through with it. Alfred winced at the mental image of his brother with Gilbert's injuries. When he thought about it, Ludwig was sturdier, stronger, and seemed to be more trained to withstand things like torture than Gilbert. Like he was to Matthew. He let go of Ludwig, knowing he was right.

"Thank you." Ludwig said to Alfred. Arthur looked between the two, stunned and furious at the both of them, while Francis stood back, knowing he could not stop Ludwig.

"Are you two both bloody fucking idiots!" Arthur shouted. "Ludwig, you are not his toy! Gilbert is!"

Alfred stepped in front of Arthur to stop him from yelling at Ludwig. "We have to let him do this, Artie. He's a big boy. Ludwig can handle himself and knows what he can and can't handle."

"You can't be consenting this, Alfred!" Arthur shouted desperately.

"You will be quite now, da?" Ivan interrupted loudly. "Ludwig, I will take you up on your reques-." Ivan started, but was cut off by Gilbert.

"No, West! Please! Don't do this!"

"I will do this East. Now let me be." He glanced over at brother, giving him a reassuring look. He knew what he was getting into, and Gilbert had to know he knew he did. "Ivan, you were saying?"

"I will take you up on your request, da. I will give your picture to the guards and you should have no trouble getting in. I assure you that if you do, you need only give me a call." Ivan smirked up at Ludwig. Ludwig couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach. He was a pawn in his little game and he knew it. Yet all he could do was play along and hope this game would come to an end sooner rather than later.

"Very well. But… How did you get my picture?" Ludwig asked cautiously.

"From Gilbert's home, da!" Ludwig froze, visibly getting tenser.

"Fine. When do you want me to come over?" Ludwig asked. He tried desperately to stomp out what little of a soul he had left in him so he would not feel the blow of the words Ivan was about to say.

"Anytime in the morning is good, da." Ivan nodded at the blank expression on Ludwig's face. He was nothing more than a lamb to the slaughter to him.

"I will be over by 8." Ludwig nodded and took his leave from the room, not daring to look at anyone else in the room as he left as quickly as he could. He had just offered up his virginity to Ivan of all people, and the shame surrounded him.

He had just set the time at which he would lose the very last bit of purity in him. At 8 o'clock the next day, he would be totally defiled and everyone he interacted with, his friends, in a way, knew it. The shame of it all slowly gnawed its way into Ludwig's heart.


	2. Retirement?

Hey there! Rika here! :3 I know it's been a really, really long time since I've updated, and I'd really like to apologize from the bottom of my heart for that. I've been having a rough time. And what's worse, I've had to rewrite this chapter 3 times now and I've lost it all 3 times. I'm really, really, REALLY sorry, but I think I'm going to retire this story along with Heartbeat, in case any of you all reading are wondering when that's coming out. Unless you guys really, really, REALLY have a beef with that, and you all really, really, REALLY want me to continue this right now, I'm done with this. So, unless a lot of people comment or private message me or something, this'll be the end of this one. And that kills me, but it's getting in the way of all the other stuff I want to do. You all can blame the fuckers at the flash drive manufacturers, by the way.

Anyways, as an apology, I've decided to give you what I've been able to salvage of the original chapter 2. It's not much, but it's something. I love you all! And, if you want Germancest or USUK or Spamano or Franada, I'm gonna start a new chapter story that's NOT gonna be saved on a stupid flash drive. I learned my lesson. Learn from me children.

I own nothing.

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><p>Ivan threw Ludwig, now thoroughly broken, violently to the ground. "I'm bored now." He spat, "Gilbert, come here."<p>

Gilbert got to his feet as fast as he could manage without use of his hands and rushed to Ivan's side. He tried with all his might not to look at the Russian, biting his tongue to keep from saying anything that could upset him and prompt more abuse to his brother. Instead he chose to focus on the knife Ivan held loosely in his hand, as if it were nothing more than just a cold piece of steal. As if it was not smeared with Ludwig's blood.

"Turn around." Ivan commanded shortly as Gilbert came to halt in front him. Gilbert did as he told and allowed Ivan to cut the ropes that bound his hands together. He pulled his hands to his chest upon being freed and rubbed at his wrist, which were now an angry shade of red from where he'd struggled against the ropes in a futile attempt to get free and save Ludwig. The pain aside, Gilbert was relieved that he once again had use of the appendages.

Gilbert listened in utter silence to the dull of thud of Ivan's heavy footsteps as he left the room without another word. As soon as he could no longer hear even the faintest evidence of Ivan's lingering, Gilbert ran to Ludwig's side, falling down to his knees beside him. He quickly looked over his brother's damaged body and tried to choke down the anger that boiled in his gut and the heart break swelling in his heart.

"West…?" He asked tentatively as he watched for a reaction. Seconds past and Ludwig didn't so much move an inch.

"West…" Gilbert called out louder. He could feel his body stiffen as, once again, Ludwig failed to answer.

"West…! West! West, come on! Wake up! West!"

… Nothing…

"Ludwig!" He used his brother's real name this time. It wasn't something Gilbert made a habit of doing, but Gilbert would try anything his brother might answer to until he woke up.

"Lud! Lutz! Westen! Bruder!" Gilbert went down the list one by one, but nothing happened. Ludwig remained completely still and listless, no matter what name Gilbert begged to.

Gilbert tried desperately to swallow the panic that threatened to flood his senses and flush out any sort of rational thought in his mind. He tried to tell himself that it was impossible that Ludwig was dead. World War Two hadn't destroyed him, hadn't destroyed _Germany_, so Ludwig could not die. Gilbert had to do something, but could only think of one other thing to do.

There was only one thing Ludwig always responded to no matter what.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt! You open your fucking eyes right now! That's an order!" Tears welled in Gilbert's eyes, blurring his vision. "Did you hear me! That's an order!"

Hot tears ran down Gilbert's cheeks, leaving damp trails behind them. "Ludwig!"

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><p>Once again, I'd like to say I'm sorry. I wish this fic had played out. I really loved it when I started it, but I don't want to write it over a fourth time. If enough people make me feel really bad, I might concider picking it up again (I already feel super guilty). But I just don't think this was that popular a story. So if you'll be sad or whatever if I retire this story, review and tell me or PM me and I'll concider continuing.<p>

Once again, thank you, I love everyone who read this and everyone who reviewed even more, and fuck flashdrives.


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